Author: Ewang Johnson
Edgar Lungu, the immediate past president of Zambia, has died at 68 while receiving treatment in Pretoria, South Africa. Lungu, who rose swiftly through his country’s political ranks, served as Zambia’s president from 2015 to 2021 before losing to current president Hakainde Hichilema. Though he initially retired, Lungu re-entered politics in 2023, planning to challenge his successor in the next presidential election. However, Lungu was barred from contesting by the nation’s Constitutional Court, which ruled that he had already served the constitutionally allowed two terms. Despite this, he remained influential in Zambian politics. A lawyer by training, Lungu boosted Chinese investment during…
Neeraj Ghaywan’s first film in a decade, about two friends striving to escape their marginalised roots in rural India, has packed an emotional punch at the Cannes Film Festival. He talks to FRANCE 24 about the personal significance of “Homebound” and Martin Scorsese’s decisive help in bringing the long-gestating project to completion. Source link
Cape Town based NPO, I AM WATER, celebrates 15 years of ocean connection workshops and The Earthshot Prize 2025 nomination I AM WATER Ocean Conservation Foundation is proud to announce its nomination for the prestigious Earthshot Prize 2025, a global recognition that celebrates transformative and scalable solutions to repair and regenerate the planet. This nomination reflects over a decade of dedicated work reconnecting underserved youth with the ocean resulting in the OCEAN FOR ALL Alliance Global initiative. “We believe that to protect our oceans, we must first connect people to them – especially the next generation,” said Hanli Prinsloo, Founder…
✨💄Cara Delevingne made her debut in Cannes as a L’Oréal Paris ambassador. France 24’s Stella Elgersma caught up with her to find out more! Source link
By Thabo Molefe, Head of Africa Regions at TransUnion Africa’s young, tech-savvy population is leading the charge in reshaping the continent’s future. As home to the fastest-growing demographic in the world, Africa’s youth are not only influencing tomorrow’s society but are also at the heart of innovation in financial services, particularly through the adoption of mobile technology. Industry collaboration is increasingly vital for ensuring that the benefits of mobile-enabled financial services are widely accessible, with diverse stakeholders working together to open new doors for financial inclusion. Whereas financial inclusion was once constrained by legacy banking systems, it is now gaining momentum thanks…
Arts Editor Eve Jackson reports from the Cannes Film Festival, highlighting the return of Belgian filmmakers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne with their new film “Young Mothers”. The film offers a raw, intimate look at five young women navigating early motherhood in a communal home. Through their struggles, the Dardennes explore themes of resilience, solidarity, and liberation from generational hardship. Eve also contrasts this with Iranian director Saeed Roustaee’s harrowing portrait of isolated single motherhood. She’s joined by social media journalist Stella Elgersma to share some festival highlights and behind-the-scenes moments. Source link
By Rentia van Tonder, Head of Power, and Aadil Cajee, Head of Energy & Infrastructure Finance at Standard Bank CIB The future of energy in Africa will not be determined by policy alone. Nor will it be unlocked by capital in isolation. If Africa is to achieve a secure, affordable and lower-carbon energy system, financial institutions must fundamentally rethink how they engage with the sector to ensure success and sustainable growth. What is needed is a holistic approach from market participants, specifically capital providers shifting to long-term, strategic partners who help shape entire energy ecosystems. This demands more than financial…
In this special edition for World Oceans Day, we spotlight the urgent, haunting work of Mandy Barker, the award-winning British photographic artist using sea-salvaged fashion waste to expose the truth about plastic pollution. Her cyanotype series “Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Imperfections” reimagines the work of 19th-century botanist Anna Atkins, replacing seaweed with clothing scraps collected from 121 beaches around the UK. The result is both poetic and jarring, earning praise from none other than Sir David Attenborough, who supports Barker’s work for its power to inspire real change. Source link
Andrei Linde(Credit: Andrei Linde)A new episode of the BBC’s History’s Secret Heroes podcast focuses on the Night Witches, a group of Russian female pilots who bombed German forces under the cover of darkness.World War Two is filled with so many extraordinary tales of heroism that not all of them have got their due. Now BBC Radio 4’s History’s Secret Heroes podcast, narrated by Helena Bonham Carter, has set out to celebrate these unsung war heroes. And none, arguably, are more remarkable than those covered in a new episode – a squadron of Russian female pilots who flew under the cover…
Onafriq now links 1 Billion Connected Mobile Wallets and 500 Million Bank Accounts Across Africa Onafriq, Africa’s largest digital payments network, is celebrating its 15-year anniversary by announcing a significant milestone: close to 1 billion mobile money wallets and 500 million bank accounts are now connected through its infrastructure. Starting as a mobile money switch, Onafriq has transformed into a full omnichannel payments network. It facilitates cross-border disbursements, collections, card issuance and processing, offline agent banking services, and FX & treasury services. At its core, Onafriq is providing digital interoperability across mobile wallets, bank accounts, cards, and offline payment channels…